Pittsburgh guard Ishmael Leggett, proper, locations a decal on the stand after an NCAA faculty basketball recreation towards Wake Forest within the quarterfinal spherical of the Atlantic Coast Convention event, Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Picture/Susan Walsh)
The Related Press
WASHINGTON — Ishmael Leggett scored 19 of his season-high 30 factors within the second half and Pittsburgh held off Wake Forest 81-69 on Thursday within the quarterfinals of the ACC Event.
At this time, the fourth-seeded Panthers (22-10) will face top-seeded and No. Four North Carolina, a 92-67 winner over ninth-seeded Florida State, early Thursday. UNC defeated Pitt, 70-57, of their solely common season assembly on Jan. 2.
Leggett shot 11-of-18, repeatedly drove exhausting to the rim and picked up eight rebounds and 5 steals. Blake Hinson hit 4 Three-pointers and added 20 factors, with Jaland Lowe including 11 factors and 5 assists. Pitt's bench outscored Wake Forest 39-Zero.
Cameron Hildreth led the Demon Deacons (20-13) with 23 factors. Hunter Sallis added 15 factors, Andrew Carr 13 and Efton Reid III 12.
A 12-1 run over three minutes that Leggett began with a Three-pointer gave the Panthers a 19-point lead with 13 minutes left.
Sallis hit back-to-back Three-pointers and Hildreth added a three-point play to place the Demon Deacons again up by eight halfway by the half.
A Three by Hildreth minimize the result in 4 with 5:30 left. The Deacons stayed inside attain till Pitt went on a 10-2 run late within the recreation's remaining two minutes, began by an beneath bucket by Guillermo Diaz Graham and a Leggett drive.
“It's a testomony to our entire season,” Leggett stated when requested about Wake Forest closing the hole to 19 factors. “We began the yr 1-5 and right here we’re, about to play North Carolina within the semifinals. This can be a particular group. We all know what it takes to win in most of these environments.”
Hinson scored 5 factors and Leggett 4 in a 13-2 run that put Pitt forward by 11 with 9 minutes left within the half and the Panthers led 38-26 at halftime.
“I'm used to being the perfect in my function with this group,” Leggett stated. “Shoot for the sky and be the perfect you may be. In the event you don't have it collectively, you gained't win. This group… we love one another and we're actually joyful for one another when the opposite scores.”
Sport Notes: Pitt advances to the ACC Event semifinals for simply the second time in program historical past. The Panthers are 1-1 all-time towards the Tar Heels within the convention event. … The Panthers' different semifinal look got here as a high seed in 2014, with Pitt falling to top-seeded Virginia, 51-48, after beating No. 12 Wake Forest and North Carolina . ..With the win, Pitt improves to Eight-10 all-time within the ACC Event and 2-1 in video games performed in Washington, DC… The Panthers have gained 10 of their final 12 video games and 12 of their final 15. … Leggett's 5 steals are essentially the most ever by a Pitt participant within the ACC Event. Going 11-of-18 from the ground, the ACC Sixth Man of the Yr marks essentially the most 30 factors by a Pitt Panther within the ACC Event since Justin Champagnie did it on March 10, 2020, vs. Wake Forest. … Leggett turned the primary 30-point ACC Event scorer off the bench since Virginia Tech's Zach LeDay, who did so on March Eight, 2017, towards Wake Forest. … Leggett's 30 factors marked the fourth time within the 2024 ACC Event that a participant scored 30 or extra factors, essentially the most since 1995 when six gamers scored 30 or extra. .. With 4 Three-pointers, Hinson moved from seventh to 3rd in Pitt historical past with 110 profession Three-pointers.
WAKE FOREST (20-13): Carr Three-Eight 7-9 13, Reid 5-6 1-1 12, Hildreth Eight-14 5-7 23, Miller 2-7 2-2 6, Sallis 5-9 2- Four 15, Friedrichsen Zero-6 Zero-Zero Zero, Marsh Zero-Zero Zero-Zero Zero, Keller Zero-Zero Zero-Zero Zero. Totals 23-50 17-23 69.
PITTSBURGH (22-10): Austin Zero-2 Zero-Zero Zero, Hinson 6-12 Four-5 20, Federiko 1-1 Zero-Zero 2, Carrington Three-Eight 2-Four 9, Lowe 2-7 7-Eight 11, Leggett 11-18 6-6 30, G.Diaz Graham Three-6 1-2 9. Totals 26-54 20-25 81.
Halftime – Pittsburgh 38-26. Three-Level Objectives – Wake Forest 6-21 (Sallis Three-6, Hildreth 2-5, Reid 1-1, Miller Zero-1, Carr Zero-2, Friedrichsen Zero-6), Pittsburgh 9-23 (Hinson Four- 6, G.Diaz Graham 2-Four, Leggett 2-6, Carrington 1-Three, Austin Zero-2, Lowe Zero-2). Rebounds—Wake Forest 25 (Carr 9), Pittsburgh 26 (Leggett Eight). Assists – Wake Forest 11 (Sallis Four), Pittsburgh 11 (Lowe 5). Complete fouls—Wake Forest 19, Pittsburgh 17. A–14,920